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Colonel Morgan among others remembers sterling contributions Patsy Russell
Canada-based former president of the Guyana Amateur Basketball Federation (GABF), Colonel (Rt.) Carl Morgan, is among those
Patricia Veronica ‘Patsy’ Russell
overseas past basketball administrators who distinctly remember the late sport administrator Patricia Veronica ‘Patsy’ Russell who passed away last Thursday in Canada.
Reached for a comment on the late GABF Secretary Patsy Russell who served in the 1980s while he was president, Colonel (Rt.) Carl Morgan said, “Patsy was a tower of strength in basketball, she was very knowledgeable and was never afraid to take on anyone who wished to break the rules and bring the game into disrepute.”
The man who served at the helm of the GABF when it also hosted the successful Caricom Basketball Confederation (CBC) Men and Women’s championship here in 1988 continued: “When I was President of GABF she served as Secretary and then as an advisor. I could always depend on her to provide sound advice. She may have stepped on a few corns but she was respected by all.”
Morgan said his relationship and respect remained solid with the former GABF secretary as, “I was in contact with her here in Canada and gave her contact information for her mentor. I don’t know if see did make contact. May her soul Rest in eternal peace.”
Over in the United States, Al McDonald, a former vice president of the GABF and one-time president of the Linden Amateur Basketball Association (LABA) who covered basketball both locally and international before migrating, remembers the person Patsy Russell was around the game of basketball.
Al Mc, now known as Naisan Chapman, recalls “I thought and felt that Patsy Russell was the calmest of the women basketball players I had to honor to report on. She never seemed flustered and was as serene as ever both on and off the court. We will miss her calm assertiveness.”
Her longtime friend Patricia Waterman Mitchell who left these shores in 1983 said, “I don’t know when Patsy left Guyana, but she migrated to Trinidad & Tobago and was working at University of the West Indies. She migrated to Canada around 2005/2006…Before her death, she was between Canada & Guyana Volunteering for Cuso International.”
Another former basketball stalwart Mike Brusche, who also resides in the US, recollected that “Patsy was a hustling player with a pleasant personality.” He credited this trade mark personality must have been behind her many years being a senior banker in Guyana.
Mike says he remembers the many battles between arch rivals Linden and Georgetown at basketball back in the days and the former national captain and coach recounted: “When Linden would walk with a big bell to blot out the GT supporters, Patsy was among the throng of the GT posse that would challenge their counterparts at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall.”
There was a viewing of the body of the late Patricia Veronica Russell yesterday at the Highland Funeral Home, Scarborough Chapel 3280, Shepperd Avenue East (Warden and Shepperd). Today the funeral service is set for 1.00pm at the Church of the Nativity 10 Sewells Road, Scarborough, and at a reception from 3.00pm at the Church of Nativity.
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